Tuesday, February 28, 2006

On Sunday the Ceremonial Journey for Indigenous Dignity began in the park next to the Tijuana City Hall with a ritual of commencement. Afterward the runners began a two week, 1500 kilometer run by crossing the bridge & circling the statue of Cuauhtemoc, recrossing the bridge and heading for Tecate. They will return to Tijuana March 11 after having run through more than 15 indigenous communities. Details are available in Spanish & English at : http://carreraindigena.blogspot.com/

On Saturday I missed the celebrations for the day of the birth & the day of the assassination of Cuauhtemoc because I had the great honor to transport Kumiai elders from their communities to Tijuana and our home in Playas so they could participate in the ceremonies initiating the sacred run for indigenous dignity on Sunday. To spend two days with them was a high point of my life. I wish for everyone the same opportunity.

12 hours going and 12 hours returning from Tijuana to Hermosillo in a van with Yaqui, Seri and Mayo runners for the ceremonial run Ceremonial Run. The ceremonies will begin tomorrow, Saturday, 25 February 2006.

Friday, February 17, 2006

PROGRESO WEEKLY February 16, 2006 Violation of Mexican sovereignty by the U.S. By Eduardo Santana Castellón

Two weeks ago, through the application of the Helms-Burton Law, the government of the United States obliged the Maria Isabel Sheraton hotel of Mexico City to evict a delegation of Cubans who were participating in a meeting about oil business.Washington's pressure was confirmed both by hotel officials and organizers of the event. The delegates' only crime was their nationality. This action violates the laws and principles against the extraterritorial application of foreign laws, against discrimination, and against activities that affect the sovereign development of a country. Once more we see the high-handedness with which the administration of George W. Bush tramples Mexico's sovereignty and the tepid manner in which President Vicente Fox's administration responds to those pressures.In recent years and responding to pressure from the Bush administration, Fox limited the stay in Mexico of Cuba's President, Fidel Castro, during a meeting held by the United Nations Organization, using the sadly remembered expression "You eat and go."The Mexican government also agreed to vote against Cuba at the forum of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, a strategy that has more to do with the United States' hegemonic plans toward Cuba than with the legitimate defense of human rights.CIA chief Peter Goss declared publicly that Mexico was the UnitedStates' "back yard." The comment did not affect the leader of U.S. espionage, but the same comment in the voice of Adolfo Aguilar Zinzer, Mexico's chief delegate to the United Nations, during a speech to university students, generated protests from the Bush administration, which obliged the Mexican government to recall his own U.N. delegate.After Cuba, Mexico probably has been the country most harmed by the extraterritorial and internationally condemned Helms-Burton Law, which has forced Mexican businessmen to stand back and lose million-dollar contracts with Cuba in strategic areas, such as tourism, communication and many others.Now, the U.S. forces Mexican hotels to discriminate against clients on the basis of their nationality.At a time when representatives of the U.S. government murder Mexicans on the border and violate their rights, builds walls to impede the movement of humans, reclassifies illegal immigrants as criminals and now defines who can and cannot stay in Mexican hotels, we need strong answers from the Mexican government in defense of its sovereignty. Unfortunately, the initial response of the Foreign Relations Secretariat was to say merely that the Sheraton incident was a matter "between private parties." Later, it rectified itself, stating that it would initiate an investigation, because U.S. laws cannot be applied in Mexico and discrimination is forbidden. The Secretariat declined to file a protest with the U.S. government over the pressure exerted against the hotel.The government of Mexico City, associated with the center-left Democratic Revolutionary Party, was more vigorous, stating that the Sheraton hotel specifically violated the laws on Business Establishments, Consumer Protection and Antidiscrimination and promising that sanctions would be imposed, which might include a shutdown of the hotel.In the next several days we shall see if the federal government puts up an effective defense of its own sovereignty or if it continues a policy whose objective, in Fox's own words, is not to "distance"itself from the United States.Eduardo Santana Castellón is a professor at the University of Guadalajara in Mexico.

The Tashunka Witko Brigade reporting on the ground from indigenous rebel territory under siege in Mexico

The wall - An indigenous view from below and to the left

Radio Essay in English followed by translation in Spanish (total duration: 31 minutes 45 seconds)

Description:Poignant commentary by Lakota warrior and Tashunka Witko Brigade co-host Wanbli Watakpe on the wall that separates what is colonially known as Mexico and the United States. "As an indigenous person I belong in both sides of this wall, this border drawn by the colonial empires", he proclaims and adds "…the wall is an insulting aberration, it is like an erection in mother earth that is not wanted, it is not a natural thing, it is forced, a rape, a violation. It is violent, it represents violence in its ugliest form. It is a separation, an isolation, a canonization of a racist policy…Not only does it run down to the ocean but it will extend 500 feet out into the water so that even the dolphin people cannot get back and forth as they cruise up and down the beach… There are 24-7 helicopters in the air doing surveillance. The wall runs down to the beach and along the highway on the Tijuana side. There is actually 3 walls… In between the third and first wall there’s a couple of miles of "buffer" space considered "no man’s land" and that’s where the patrols are, where the colonial military and border agents sit… it is a DMZ, not a border… we do not have a border there, we have a DMZ with military sensors, military machinery and implements, a war zone…"We open this essay with a prayer in Mayo language by our compa Raul Buitimea and music by Quetzalcoatl, the closing song is "Maldicion de Malinche" by Amparo Ochoa.

The Tashunka Witko Brigade (TWB) focuses on indigenous liberation and gives voice to the indigenous people, the elders, grandmas and warriors on the ground in this our continent. TWB airs on Free Radio Olympia on Tuesdays 3-5 PM PST (with live webstream at www.frolympia.org) and on Berkeley Liberation Radio anytime without warning. _____________________________________________

Monday, February 13, 2006

One of the good things about living in Mexico (and almost all the world outside the United States) is to be in a country with normal relations with Cuba. Besides the ability to purchase Cuban cigars and rum and see and hear Cuban entertainers, there is here a relatively sane approach to news from Cuba, or at least a variety of viewpoints.

Often there are interesting conferences held here simply because there are Cuban participants and they could not attend were the conference held in the USA. The photo is of a US, Mexico, Venezuela, Cuba labor conference held this winter in Tijuana. (I know it is a bad photo. The room was dark, conditions difficult.)

Recently a Cuba/USA conference of US oil businessmen & Cuban officials had to move from a US owned Sheraton hotel in Mexico City because the US thinks its laws (Cuban blockade) supercede Mexican laws (anti-discrimination in accomodations) even on Mexican soil. The story has been covered in a minor way in the US. In Mexico it has been a full blown scandle. Here is the Cuban perspective (in Granma's translation, not always smooth):

GRANMA EDITORIALFebruary 10, 2006A veritably lamentable event

WHAT has taken place in Mexico on account of orders from Washington to a hotel located in Mexico City provokes various sentiments, which range from indignation to pity. The facts are well known: a group of Cuban officials linked to the energy sector were meeting in Mexico with their U.S. colleagues for a professional and serious discussion, among other subjects, on the possibilities of cooperation in the oil prospecting sphere, something that has been happening for some years with diverse productive sectors of the United States interested in future exchanges with our country. This meeting had been agreed to by virtue of the express interest of the U.S. side to learn of the potential of Cuba's exclusive zone in the Gulf of Mexico, and the disposition of the Cuban government not to exclude the participation of U.S. companies in future negotiations on the theme. The meeting itself is yet further proof of the climate of mutual respect prevailing between our country and U.S. economic sectors, also evidenced in significant and increasing food purchases already standing at $500 million per year, which Cuba has paid for in cash and promptly, something which the current administration of the United States wishes to prevent at all costs at this time.

This event, as on other occasions, was taking place in Mexico, in a Mexican hotel, given that, by virtue of the blockade, both sides, Cuban and American, are prohibited by the Bush government from traveling to each other's country. It is well-known that the nationality of a subsidiary company, as in the case of the Mari­a Isabel Sheraton Hotel, is that of the country in which it is located, and independent of the nationality of the parent company. In other words, an entity registered in Mexico, under the shelter of Mexican legislation, it is in all legal effects a Mexican entity and should be ruled by the laws of Mexico and not those of the country who owns its assets or of its transnational owners. In addition to being legally unobjectionable, this has a profound practical content; above all in the present context of a globalized world, where innumerable foreign shareholders can possess companies in any country. Taking the example of Mexico itself, a country that receives a large amount of direct foreign investment, it is fitting to ask what would happen if every country began to apply its own laws to subsidiaries operating in Mexico. It is obvious that in those conditions German laws would be applied on some companies, French on others, Japanese on others, or perhaps all of them. One does not need to make much of an imaginative effort to deduce that this would lead to absolute chaos in the receptor country, in this case Mexico, as it would have to apply the laws of 10, 20 or more countries with distinct juridical regimes and corporative cultures. All this is clearly established so that it can be understood with absolute clarity and nobody would violate it, except the government of Bush who, as master of the world has demonstrated that he does not recognize any limit to his arrogant power.The facts confirm it: last Friday when the first day of both delegations' working sessions had ended, the Cuban party was informed by the Mexican hotel administration that the U.S. State Department had instructed it to evict them from the premises. One supposes that the hotel manager thought that what had happened was very logical and reasonable. He didn't even blink, and immediately fulfilled the order he was given. He didn't stop to think for a second whether a foreign government had the legal capacity to give that order, or that any problem that might arise in this respect would have to be resolved under the precepts of Mexican law. The hotel manager cannot be blamed. He simply acted with the logic of someone who feels that he is not doing anything abnormal. That such an order was shameless and abusive in the eyes of the Mexican people and the world, would never have passed through his mind. Perhaps he even thought that evicting the Cuban officials from the hotel might please the government that vehemently condemns Cuba every year in the Geneva, and is unexpectedly silent in the face of the horrendous torture that the United States is daily committing against defenseless prisoners under its custody in Cuban territory illegally and forcefully occupied by the government that accuses it of violating human rights.To make the act even more humiliating, the empire didn't even botherto inform the Mexican authorities, and the order was transmitted by a duty bureaucrat in the Treasury Department. Without any doubt, a country's sovereignty is immaterial and was not worth disturbing a higher official for. Brookly McLaughlin, the Treasury Department spokesperson could not have been more explicit in that respect. In a report published in The New York Times on February 7 she was quoted as having said that the Mexico City hotel is a U.S. subsidiary and thus is prohibited from offering services to Cuba or Cuban nationals. In this case we are simply following our usual procedures, by applying the law. She failed to explain, probably not thinking it necessary, that she was referring to the law of the United States.According to a cable published in the Estrella Digital on February 9, another spokesperson in the State Department, Sean McCormack, stated that U.S. law is basically applied to U.S. companies or subsidiaries of U.S. groups wherever they might happen to be. It would be hard to find a clearer example of scorn for other countries' sovereignty.The indignation of the Mexican people and within many of its institutions was not long in coming. Demonstrations were organized to protest at the gross offense. Senators from the main political parties reacted with honor and decorum. The Tuesday, February 7 edition of La Jornada newspaper published an article offering information on the issue titled: The extraterritorial application of U.S. law is inadmissible, Senators. The article began by saying: Senators from the PAN, PRI and PRD parties yesterday demanded the government of Vicente Fox to make an energetic diplomatic reaction to the expulsion of Cuban officials from the Mari­a Isabel Sheraton Hotel, on account of this act constituting a violation of Articles 1, 14 and 16 of the Constitution, in addition to what they described as the "shame" of allowing the application of extraterritorial laws in Mexico. That is inadmissible and requires immediate clarification, they stressed.But in the midst of all this climate of unanimous condemnation of the ruling received from the North by the homeland of Juarez, what did the Mexican government say and do? If one analyzes the statement made by Foreign Minister Derbez, whom the international press has approached to know the Mexican government position on such a flagrant scandal, one would have to feel a strange mixture of perplexity and almost pity. In his first statement from Europe, where he was touring various countries, he acknowledged, according to an AFP cable on February 7, that the law could not in any way be applied extraterritorially, but hastened to add: "What we should do, not with the government of the United States because they have their own legislation, is to apply the corresponding sanction." Translated into direct and clear language what he is admitting with the most incredible indolence is that the U.S. Treasury Department can give orders to enterprises constituted and operating in Mexico; and given the case that the theme has come out in public and there was no other remedy than to take some kind of action to calm people, he blamed the enterprise that obeyed the order against the honor and dignity of Mexico. According to the same cable in New York, Ellen Gallo, a spokespersonfor the hotel chain, contradicted Mr. Derbez' point of view by correctly affirming that it was an issue between two governments.Another headline from Mexico's La Jornada on February 8 published another unheard-of phrase from the Mexican foreign secretary: "The Sheraton will be sanctioned without any complaint being sent to Washington," and the newspaper added: "Luis Derbez Bautista, who is in London on the last leg of his two-week tour of Europe, said that the decision of the Mari­a Isabel Sheraton Hotel to evict a delegation of Cuban officials from its premises did not represent a violation of national sovereignty."In the midst of growing internal indignation, the Mexican government was obliged to adopt a more energetic stand at such an affront to a nation educated in the example of the child heroes of Chapultepec and that of all those who have fought to preserve the highest values of the glorious Mexican people. Foreign Secretary Derbez was evidently insecure and indecisive. The Mexican El Universal confirmed his tribulations in an article datelined February 8, titled "Foreign Relations Secretary adjusts his position toward the United States on account of Cuban evictions." The same newspaper noted: "The Mexican government is discussing sending a diplomatic note of protest to the United States for the expulsion ofa Cuban delegation from the Mari­a Isabel Sheraton Hotel, stated Luis Ernest Derbez, who warned that the federal government would not allow any foreign law to have application over national ones." In a radio interview, the foreign secretary said that via Jeronimo Gutierrez, under-secretary for North America, the Mexican government has contacted the U.S. government to investigate the incident concretely and precisely. "(the under-secretary) will bring us the information so we can decide whether or not to bring a complaint against the U.S. government." However, in less than four hours, Derbez changed his position, because in a press conference in London before the radio interview he had assured that the incident did not merit sending a diplomatic note to Washington, as it was the Mari­a Isabel Sheraton Hotel that proceeded in undue manner, given that the Treasury Department only gave indications. Moreover, he assured that the United States did not violate Mexican sovereignty by asking the enterprise to apply a US law.A more recent headline, La Jornada on February 9, offered new and even stranger statements: "Verbal petition to the United States to review the extraterritorial application of laws: Derbez." It is curious to confirm that even a timid "verbal petition" that theUnited States should review the application of its laws in Mexico was accompanied by an explanation that made it clear that the only guilty party for everything that took place was the hotel, and to demonstrate special pleasure with the Bush government by confirming that "relations with the United States are very positive in general terms." Further on, Foreign Secretary Derbez blamed the press for "making a scandal out of this matter." And he added, as if to ensure that there was no doubt of the extreme delicacy with which he made his "verbal petition" to Washington: "we have let the State Department know in a verbal manner that it would seem to us that they should review this territoriality (of their laws)."Really, if anything was missing in these statements, it should have been to apologize for the terrible trouble caused to the StateDepartment to have to devote a few minutes of its extremely busy time to listen to someone to whom "it would seem" that the non-application of U.S. laws in his own country "should" be reviewed.Subsequently, there was talk of closing down the hotel, but it should be clarified that the reasons adduced to threaten taking this measure are of a merely administrative nature, as if, for example, the hotel occupied 3,000 square meters of terrain without authorization, or was operating two bars without a license or not have an emergency exit installed.As can be appreciated none of these reasons have the remotest connection with the essential problem: the fact that the spokespersons of the expansionist state who yesterday seized more than half of its territory from Mexico, are stating that Mexican enterprises with the participation of U.S. entities have to comply with U.S. laws in Mexico and have acted in a draconian manner in line with this self-assigned prerogative.Evaluations of this event could be very varied, but as Marti­ said: "There are a series of essential truths that fit on the wing of a hummingbird and are, nevertheless, the key to public peace, spiritual elevation and the grandeur of the homeland."From our Marti­ point of view, we feel tremendous sadness for everything that has happened, which expresses up to what point the United States has afforded itself the right to ignore the Mexican government and people and to act in an impugn manner with total disrespect for the grandeur of that beautiful nation of close friends.

Not everything here is sea lions and strawberries. For three days now large quantities of raw sewage have been flowing onto the beach and into the sea between our house and the border (approximately .5 km. south of the border) because of a collapsed sewer pipe.

Every two weeks Las Gaviotas does a water sample testing and the results for enterococcus yesterday were in the "extreme danger" area. The bacterial level is so high that the beach represents a public health danger and public use should be barred until the situation is remedied but at the start of the fourth day of the discharge nothing has been done. (This is the only accessible beach for all of Tijuana's more than 1.5 million residents and, of course a prime tourist area.)

Thursday, February 09, 2006

Some time ago the downtown shopkeepers had a survey done about what tourists liked least about Tijuana. No surprise, number one was street vendors. We have done our own informal survey asking each of our guests (15 so far) what their number one complaint was. Every single one said, "Garbage!" And everyone liked having street vendors around. It all depends on who does the survey, but you already knew that. Here are two clandestine garbage dumps on the beach at Playas de Tijuana.

Here is another sort of garbage we found on the beach last fall. It is a white phosphorus bomb from the United States Navy based in San Diego. We asked Las Gaviotas about it and were told that over 70 have been found on the beach over the past 3 years and two had exploded. They helped us complain to the Environmental Protection Agency in San Diego and we and they were interviewed by the EPA Los Angeles office. That was last October. To all appearances the issue has been effectively lost in the bureaucratic maze, but then that is what bureaucratic mazes were invented for.

Wednesday, February 08, 2006

On days when I have to spend a hour or more waiting in line to cross to the other side (go to the United States) I'm lucky to even have time for a sunset. This one is from Playas de Tijuana, 3 blocks south of the border.

Monday, February 06, 2006

Tijuana and Playas de Tijuana is a very fragile eco-system. It has not been treated kindly. One of the few organizations working for preservation and restoration of this environment is Grupo Ecologista Gaviotas, "The Seagulls." Here with other groups from both sides of the line they are cleaning a canyon leading to the border near the beach. There is another day scheduled for cleaning this canyon in March and a day of replanting native flora in April.You are invited to join themon Saturday February 11 to help clean up two clandestine garabage dumps. Meet alongside the Colima Restaurant on Av. del Pacifico at 9am.

Saturday, February 04, 2006

The wall has caused the deaths of more than 4000 migrants in its 12 years. It has also given rise to much art of resistance.La barda ha causada mas que 4000 muertos de gente migrante en los 12 an~os. Tambien ha creido mucho arte de la resistencia.

Friday, February 03, 2006

The Tashunka Witko Brigade on the ground from indigenous rebel territory under siege in Mexico1-31-2006 Program:CALL TO ALL INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND ALL PEOPLE FIGHTING FOR JUSTICE TO BE A PART OF THE CEREMONIAL RUN FOR INDIGENOUS DIGNITY IN BAJA CALIFORNIAFeaturing: Interview of "Greñas" Raul Buitimea by DJ Tanya, Tashunka Witko Brigade."Greñas" Raul Buitimea, of the Mayo Nation, is one of the coordinators of the Ceremonial Run for Indigenous Dignity in Baja California, Mexico. In this interview he invites all indigenous people from North and South to participate in this run and tells us details about the run, its history and objectives. This run is part of the efforts to fulfill the prophecy of the condor and the eagle and unite all indigenous nations. It will open with traditional nahua ceremonies on February 24th, in honor of the birth and death day of Cuauhtemoc, the great Aztec warrior. The run itself leaves from Tijuana on February 26th, passes through 17 indigenous communities, several traditional ceremonial centers, and will last 2 weeks. Many of the indigenous communities in what today is known as Baja California are extremely isolated and marginalized, and some are at the brink of completely losing their language and integrity as nations. Some of the objectives of this run are to find out, record and make public the conditions in which these communities live and any demands they may have. The group will travel with a radio that will be installed in the communities ahead of the runners, this radio will transmit indigenous programming including: reports on the struggle of other indigenous peoples throughout the continent, ceremonies, stories, literature, medicine, and history of indigenous peoples, as well as environmental, children’s and women’s rights programs. This interview ends with Greñas’ account of his people’s history and current situation.Some specific areas of the run in need of support:• Promotion of event.• Sound system for the February 25th event.• Food for the people attending the February 25th event.• Transportation for runners and dancers from Sonora to Tijuana.• Cars and gas to transport medicine, blankets, backpacks for the run.• Radio transmission equipment and walky-talkies.For more information visit http://carreraindigena.blogspot.com, write to ojbo@riseup.com (Español), flaqise@hotmail.com (English), or call 011-52-664-622-4269 (from the US), 664-622-4269 (within Mexico) to leave a message.To listen to this program go tohttp://radio.indymedia.org/news/2006/02/8392.phpThe Tashunka Witko Brigade (TWB) focuses on indigenous liberation and gives voice to the indigenous people, the elders, grandmas and warriors on the ground in this our continent. TWB airs on Free Radio Olympia on Tuesdays 3-5 PM PST (with live webstream at www.frolympia.org) and on Berkeley Liberation Radio anytime without warning.

Wednesday, February 01, 2006

From the top of the pass

From the Colorado River ValleyThe Cucapa' Community Museum

Saturday we drove over the mountains, and really spectacular mountains they are, from the Baja coast to the Sonora desert and the Colorado River valley to meet with some Cucapa Indian elders. We are organizing a ceremonial run to promote self-determination throughout the indigenous communities of northern Baja and Sonora.

The most interesting thing I have read lately is the Cucapa Community Museum catalogue, printed in a very limited edition and with distribution only through the museum.So, the next time you are at kilometer 57 on the Mexicali-San Felipe highway, be sure to stop and pick up a copy. The bead work, home construction (willow & arrow weed) and traditional clothing manufacture techniques (willow & cottonwood bark) are all of interest.

The Cucapa are a semi nomadic people with communities on both sides of the colonialists' border in Arizona & Sonora. They call themselves Chaipei Ñuogua Ñuyiu Juañak (the people who come and go). Their culture and language have been preserved in part because one group speaks Spanish & the other English, thus their own language is the only way the whole community can communicate.

If the United States completes its present plans, putting 3 "impassable" fences along the border, it is not clear what is going to happen to these people and their culture. They have been freely walking back and forth for tens of thousands of years, keeping their people intact, surviving. They may not be able to withstand this latest threat if it is allowed to come to pass. All this and more you can learn by reading their museum leaflet and visiting in their communities.

By the way, I spoke with one of the workers building the wall. When I asked him, "Why?" he said, "I guess it is the price of freedom." Apparently he and the country feel freer behind a wall. In any event it will certainly be at the cost of another people's freedom and probably their very existence.

About Me

I am a bookseller with about 20 years experience, having taken up the trade after retiring as a trial lawyer. I deal exclusively in books on Mexico & bullfighting. I am sole proprietor of my shop in Playas de Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. I am also the list owner for The Bibliophile Mailing List, an email discussion list of book dealers, collectors, librarians, & others interested in the book trade.
My unfulfilled ambitions are first, to play violin with such artistry as to make a Spanish Gypsy cry and second, to survive with grace in the arena with a full grown toro bravo.